Peyton Jones
Peyton Jones is the founder of NewBreed Training, the co-founder of Church Planter Magazine, and the author of “Church Plantology: The Art and Science of Planting Churches,” “Reaching the Unreached: Becoming Raiders of the Lost Art,” and “Church Zero: Raising 1st Century Churches out of the Ashes of the 21st Century Church.” Jones is also a serial church planter, speaker, outreach consultant, and new Free Methodist. He has been bi-vocational for nearly 20 years, using his registered nurse license, serving as a firefighter, factory worker, barista, online university instructor, or anything that will help him accomplish the mission. He received a Master of Arts degree in theology: pastoral studies from Wales Evangelical School of Theology in the United Kingdom. Born in Washington, D.C., but raised in Huntington Beach, California, he married the girl he fell in love with at 17. He is the adoptive father of two children with mixed ethnicities, Liberty and Eden.
By Peyton Jones
“Because multiplication is a clear indicator of missional health, we challenge every church to take the next step toward a more fruitful ministry with the expectation that we will see new ministries launched and churches planted.” – Free Methodist Vision Frame
Church planting is hard. Unfortunately, we often make it even harder by planting alone. Think about the most common reasons planters quit, and they all trace back to pressures that are insurmountable in isolation:
- Overworked
- Bi-vocational
- Stressed
- Family implodes
- Insufficient finances
- Shrinking church
At the end of the day…
Nobody can be expected to know everything.
Nobody can be expected to do everything.
And nobody can be expected to wisely handle everything.
In short, if you’re planting a church, then you need a team.
In Ephesians 4, Paul lays out five functions of Jesus’ ministry that Christians embody, which help them build up the church.
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“We need different types of people who see things that we miss.”
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Apostles: church-planting, frontline missionaries committed to taking the people of God back out to the front lines
Prophets: concerned with hearing from God, collectively or individually
Evangelists: compel the lost to come in
Shepherds: consumed with discipleship, development, counseling, and relationships
Teachers: convey revelation from Scripture that will reshape the thinking of disciples
Not only do we need a team of people with us, we need different types of people who see things that we miss: people who think differently about ministry; people gifted in ways that we are not. Balancing these functions will help you plant a church that looks like Jesus.
Here are examples of how you might break down leadership roles on a team that balances these five functions:
Apostle
- Vision
- Team building
- Strategy/multiplication
- Coaching
- Staff
- Event
Prophet
- Social justice
- Mercy ministry
- Prayers
- Preaching
- Music
- Accountability
- Finances
Evangelist
- Marketing/public relations
- Evangelism
- Fundraising
- Recruiting
Shepherd
- Pastor care/human resources
- Counseling
- Community building
- Nurture
- Diaconate
Teacher
- Training
- Membership
- Children’s ministry
- Discipleship
- Church communication
Practical Training
Team leadership is just one of the “Church Plantology” principles that we teach at NewBreed. When we can identify something that works in Scripture, throughout church history, and in best global missionary practices today, we call it a plantology principle and believe that it will help you plant anytime, anywhere, with anyone.
To dive deeper into all 10 plantology principles, join us for the next Church Plantology cohort, starting Sept. 14 for 10 weeks. You’ll be part of a weekly Zoom cohort with me to discuss how to apply these timeless principles to your life and ministry. Click here for more information.
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Peyton Jones
Peyton Jones is the founder of NewBreed Training, the co-founder of Church Planter Magazine, and the author of “Church Plantology: The Art and Science of Planting Churches,” “Reaching the Unreached: Becoming Raiders of the Lost Art,” and “Church Zero: Raising 1st Century Churches out of the Ashes of the 21st Century Church.” Jones is also a serial church planter, speaker, outreach consultant, and new Free Methodist. He has been bi-vocational for nearly 20 years, using his registered nurse license, serving as a firefighter, factory worker, barista, online university instructor, or anything that will help him accomplish the mission. He received a Master of Arts degree in theology: pastoral studies from Wales Evangelical School of Theology in the United Kingdom. Born in Washington, D.C., but raised in Huntington Beach, California, he married the girl he fell in love with at 17. He is the adoptive father of two children with mixed ethnicities, Liberty and Eden.
